Back at the end of 2008, I had an idea for doing something through social media to help charities. Thanks to some amazing friends and people like you that supported with your time and donations, that idea turned into a great example of how we can all make change if we really want to. The 12for12k project has raised over $100,000 for various charities to date – an amazing figure, given the “buy-in” was deliberately low, and the project took…

Jodi’s Voice was set up out of tragedy. It was named after Jodi Sanderholm, who was murdered by a stalker that had been watching her for ten years. Jodi was only 19 when she died – which meant she had been watched by her killer since she was only nine years old. Sadly, this is commonplace among stalking victims. Many victims begin being stalked when they are young. In Canada, for example, 11% of women aged 15 and older have been stalked….

Two years ago, I wrote about virtual stalking and how it was becoming an increasing problem in social media. The comments in that post, and the examples shared by readers of it, showed that it was probably a bigger problem than even I thought it was. Two years later, I’m honoured that our social media-led charity initiative 12for12k is once again helping to raise funds and awareness for an organization right at the heart of the problem of stalking. Jodi’s…

This is a cross-post from the 12for12k blog. So it’s been a bit of a while since we last shared anything on here. Originally we decided to take a breather and re-energize, after what was an amazing inaugural year for the 12for12k project and our supporters. That breather turned into a slightly longer rest period than expected, as personal needs and workloads took away the time from everyone involved with 12for12k. But, these things happen – and it’s simply made…

This post wasn’t meant to be here – it sprung from a thought I had, which I then posted as a status on my Facebook page. Here’s the thought: Wouldn’t it be cool if big corporations that supported charities took an allocation of their donation, and paid for consultants to help non-profits learn about social media? The consultants don’t have to charge the charity, the corporation is still helping the charity, and the charity can allocate these funds back into…

So today’s post was going to be a look back at two years of blogging here, and some of the things that have happened since I made this my main blog on September 30 2008. Then I read a blog post from a dear friend that stopped me in my tracks. And completely changed what this post would be. Stacey Monk is a girl in Florida who co-founded the Epic Change charity program with another mutual friend, Sanjay Patel. Epic…

“As I see it, there are two great forces of human nature: self-interest, and caring for others.” Bill Gates. Say what you will about Bill Gates, the man has a great point. It’s the kind of thinking that drives me, and is almost a mantra for the whole 12for12k project that I started with the help of friends back in December 2008. Since then, a ton of folks have become great friends and supporters, and taken the initial idea to…

Instead of blowing $50,000 on the staff Christmas party, companies offered employees the option of a smaller bash and donated the rest to a local charity. Instead of sending employees on a team-building exercise to the woods, companies sent them on a team-building exercise to renovate a playground in a run-down area. Instead of always using interns from the local college, companies mixed it up a little and gave a business education to kids from lower income schools. Instead of…

Back in December 2008, I launched the 12for12k Challenge with the help of some great friends. A social media-led charity initiative, it was a project that I always had belief in, but you never know how something like that will go. Thankfully, because of you, it went better than I could have ever hoped for. It’s been quiet the last few months, as other commitments have eaten into time and resources (everyone involved in 12for12k gives their time for free)….

This is a cross-post from 12for12k, following the humanitarian disaster currently happening in Haiti. I don’t think I need to explain the human disaster that’s unfolding in Haiti. An earthquake of devastating proportions has ripped the heart out of the country, leaving a trail of death and destruction in its wake. There are fears that there could be more than 100,000 fatalities and countless more injured and missing. This is the immediate impact. Long-term there is the threat of disease,…